Outstanding Senior Care Professional

Elaine Watrous

List your nominee's experience in Senior Care.
Elaine Watrous is playfully known as the "Make A Wish Senior Fiduciary" as she has been making dreams come true for seniors for over 10 years.

Describe how your Nominee has exceeded his or her Job Description, becoming a hero to you or others. Provide an example or as much detail as possible of the things that they do that go above and beyond their job description.
Years ago, Elaine Watrous was asked by her father to be the family Trustee. Not knowing what that would entail, Elaine inquired with a local law firm so she could be well educated and prepared. The law firm got to know Elaine and realized she had an accounting degree and connected with the seniors so well that they hired her to manage their Trust Administration Department.
Elaine remembers her first client, an elderly widower who was alone ... She went out of her way for him and helped him with nutritious meals, got him on track with medications and made sure his home was safe from hazards. She also secured VA benefits for him to help pay for his care.
Elaine realized he hadn’t had contact with his six beneficiaries in many years. She found a way to connect with each of them and gave her client a surprise party! At least 30 people attended from out of town and he was overjoyed! They continued to stay in contact with him so his days were filled with joy instead of loneliness.

Elaine's client also had a Model T Ford sitting the the garage that he had not been driven in years. He said the last time he drove it was with his beloved wife whom he missed so much. Elaine asked if he would like to take it out one last time, he said yes! Elaine, her husband and grandson drove in the Model T from North Orange County to Newport Beach (chuga chuga chuga :) where they enjoyed a nice brunch.
He mentioned to Elaine that he had promised his mom years ago that one day he would be baptized. Elaine asked if he wanted to keep that promise and he said yes. She arranged for the baptism and it was truly a memorable day for everyone. He even made a new friend at the church who said she would pick him up and take him to church each Sunday. Clearly, Elaine goes out of her way to enrich the lives of her clients.

The next story is about Larry ... Elaine explains "a young, Vietnam Veteran who was estranged from his family. Larry was living in a hotel in Fullerton and working full time when he experienced a debilitating stroke in February of 2016 that affected his entire left side. Larry spent the next two years bedridden in a rehab facility. Even though Larry had family and friends, his family had deserted him, and his friends were not visiting him. Larry had no cell phone or laptop and no way to help himself.
Larry was growing increasingly upset at the rehab facility but everyone knew that Larry could not return to his hotel to care for himself due to his massive stroke. Larry could not walk nor attend to most of his ADL’s.
A Senior Living Consultant had a kind heart and found a Board and Care that would accept his monthly Social Security as payment in full. Larry needed full bed-care and didn't have much money to pay for it. The Senior Living consultant also noticed that Larry’s meager assets were subject to predators and contacted me to help safeguard his assets.
When I met Larry, his immediate concerns were that I contact his family and asked if I could locate the suitcase of belongings he left behind in
his hotel room TWO years prior. After much persistence (and skepticism), I was able to obtain Larry’s suitcase of treasured possessions from the hotel manager! The suitcase contained an American flag flown over Larry’s warship from Vietnam, family photos of his beloved
daughter, watches, knick knacks and over $1,700.00 worth of coins. Each treasure I shared with Larry brought tears to his eyes.
I hung his huge flag on a wall he could see from his bed and it brings him so much pride and joy – rightfully so!

I conducted a background search on his family and found his daughter and his ex-wife and tried to contact them both on
several occasions. I finally received a phone call back from Larry’s ex-wife. Larry’s ex-wife visited over Memorial Day weekend. I was so very excited for Larry to see her again and kept it a surprise. She
brought pictures of his grand-kids that are proudly posted right next to his bed. We are all waiting for his daughter to reach out
to him and will rejoice in the day that she does.

Knowing that Larry was a Veteran, I knew he was entitled to Aid & Attendance benefits and found paperwork that the rehab
facility had started, but they failed to attain his DD-214 and the required doctor’s signatures before he was released. Even
though he was no longer in rehab, I endeavored to get the signatures needed to complete the application and prayed for his
DD-214 to come quickly. Last week I finally received a letter that Larry was approved by the VA for his Aid & Attendance Benefits and I can now assure
Larry that he has many options for improved health for the rest of his life.

Also, in Larry’s suitcase was a timecard dated right before his stroke that showed almost 200 hours of earned vacation pay. Again, I
set out on a quest to get Larry the money he deserved. After several calls to his ex-employer, their CPA recently presented
Larry with his over-due vacation payment. Hallelujah!!

I am honored to help make a difference in Larry’s life.
Seniors like Larry are the reason I do what I do. Professional Fiduciaries
are caring and tenacious advocates who leave no stone unturned to assist the people that cross their paths."

Elaine Watrous is such an Outstanding Senior Care Professional! Please honor her efforts by voting for her sweet heart in making Seniors wishes come true!